Burley scraps match with England

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Plans for a friendly between England and Scotland at the end of the season have been scrapped because George Burley, the new national team boss, does not want to field a weakened team.

The SFA and the Football Association have struck a deal to bring back the famous fixture but the Auld Enemy clash will not take place on May 28 as initially hoped.

Rangers and Celtic, who would supply the bulk of the Scotland squad, both have lucrative overseas tours scheduled for that period.

Gordon Smith, the SFA chief executive, said: “Unfortunately the proposed date does not fit in with the new national team manager’s plans for the forthcoming World Cup campaign - so it won’t be going ahead in May.

“When you undertake a match against your greatest rivals, it is important that you are in a position to compete on an equitable basis.

“However, as we anticipate that many of our regular performers might not be available due to club and other commitments, the end of the season would not be the ideal time to take on this challenge.”